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A simple blood test, in conjunction with a
flu diagnosis, was a blessing in disguise
for 5-year-old Ethan Fisher.
Fortunately, the hematologist who followed
up on Ethan’s low platelet count recognized
the possibility of a Fanconi anemia (FA)
diagnosis and ordered tests. Sure enough,
despite the rarity of this hereditary anemia,
Ethan had it—meaning he would need
regular blood tests and, eventually, a bone
marrow transplant.

Back in 2010, Sarah Ewald was a high school senior and alpine skier. When she noticed a bump on her foot, she assumed it was a sports injury.
But at the close of ski season, she visited a physician to determine why the bump wouldn’t go away. Her doctor diagnosed alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive sarcoma that only affects one in one million children and adolescents.
Sarah began chemotherapy the week after diagnosis. That August, surgery removed her spleen and half of her pancreas, where the cancer had spread. Radiation and more chemo followed.

Most University of Minnesota pediatric patient stories have a similar start: Parents discover a medical issue and find their way to University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital.
Not so with Lexi and Austin Jensen, each born with only one partially functioning kidney. First, they arrived at the U of M Children’s Hospital—one of the world’s leading kidney transplant centers—and then they found their parents.

Masonic Cancer Center leaders unveiled a permanent tribute to the center's founding director, John Kersey, M.D., in the new Cancer and Cardiovascular Research Building on May 13. The display is prominently featured in the lobby of the building, which is open to the public--a rarity for research facilities.

Up until about four years ago, Mike Fahning thought of his Parkinson's disease as an irritant. His medications seemed to be managing the involuntary movements that are a hallmark of the disease, with which he was diagnosed at age 38. But one Sunday in 2010, Fahning was at home doing housework when suddenly he couldn't move. His medications had worn off, and he was stuck. Though Fahning wasn't familiar with the term at the time, he was experiencing "freezing of gait," a complication of Parkinson's disease that is simply described as a temporary and involuntary inability to move.

David Bond, M.D., Ph.D., has spent his professional life delving into problems that lie deep within the human brain. Having recently completed his Ph.D. in neuroscience, and with in-depth experience in both clinical treatment for people who have bipolar disorder and research into brain malfunctions, Bond proved to be an unbeatable candidate to lead the University's new Bipolar Disorder Clinic, which is scheduled to open this summer.

Dick Huston, D.V.M., and his wife, Glenda, were so passionate about education that, years ago, they established scholarships at nine different colleges, including the University of Minnesota. After Glenda died suddenly in 2010, her careful estate planning resulted in not just a substantial increase for the Glenda Taylor Huston Scholarship of Courage at the U but also funds to support bipolar disorder research at the institution.

The University of Minnesota has been named one of 25 institutions that will lead a nationwide network of regional stroke centers as part of a new effort driven by the National Institutes of Health to reduce the impact of stroke in the United States.

Sameer Gupta, M.D., has a passion for tending to sick kids. A critical care physician at University of Minnesota Children's Hospital, Gupta deals with tough situations every day, fighting diseases that have brought youngsters into the hospital--the scariest of places for worried parents. But what those parents don't see is how hard Gupta works behind the scenes to prevent already sick kids from getting sicker--from what medical professionals call
"hospital-acquired conditions."

When 15-year-old Julia Berg died of massive internal bleeding at another hospital in 2005, the tragedy left her parents, Dan Berg and Welcome Jerde, and her sister, Hannah, reeling. But more bad news was yet to come: Julia's death could have been prevented.

If you think somebody who lacks backbone lacks gumption, you haven't met Aulana Hulbert. The 10-year-old Nebraskan girl doesn't have the use of her legs but learned how to get around by walking on her hands. And all because she lacks a backbone--at least a complete one.

Though she's competitive, Terri Laguna, M.D., didn't mind when one of her 12-year-old patients "smoked" her in a 5K race last year.
That's because, despite having cystic fibrosis (CF), Tanner--who also plays hockey--is obviously thriving. And nothing could make Laguna happier.

University of Minnesota pediatric physicians and researchers are illuminating discovery, fostering hope and healing for children and their families when they need it most. Join us to celebrate U of M advances in children's health at WineFest No. 19--A Toast to Children's Health on May 9 and 10 at the Depot in Minneapolis.

Previously discarded as medical waste, blood gathered from the placenta and umbilical cord after childbirth holds potential for treating deadly and debilitating diseases. Now, as more centers are beginning to collect and bank this valuable blood, University of Minnesota researchers and clinicians are at the forefront of developing its promise.

The University of Minnesota Foundation announced in March that donor Caroline Amplatz had fulfilled her pledged gifts for pediatric care, education, and research early
and was relinquishing naming rights to the University's children's hospital, creating an opportunity for another donor.

The Unlimited Dance Marathon on February 22 and 23, combined with donations that students and student athletes collected at 14 sporting events throughout the course of the academic year, raised more than $32,000 for University of Minnesota Children's Hospital.

Throughout his life, Paul McCarron served as an advocate for public health and human services. As a Minnesota legislator, he was the architect behind the Community Social Services Act (CSSA), landmark welfare-reform legislation. For another project, he went undercover as a janitor so he could see firsthand the conditions at state hospitals.

Russell Johnson, '13 M.D., took a year away from his formal medical education to be part of a clinical research team at the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, situated in the heart of Bangladesh's capital city, Dhaka -- one of the world's most densely populated and rapidly growing cities.

Thomas J. Crowley, '62 M.D., discovered the joys of mountain skiing through the University of Minnesota Ski Club. The Minneapolis native's first trip west took him to Aspen for some traditional downhill skiing. But over time he discovered his true passion was for the backcountry.
He did worry, however, about the very real and ever-present danger of avalanches. After a fair bit of tinkering, Crowley invented and patented the AvaLung.

Like all Medical School students, Rachel Lundberg '15 has plenty of good stories to tell. But she tells one story that sets her apart--the one from her first year of medical school when, over the course of a few months, she went from being a student to a patient.

The debilitating, often deadly disease of type 1 diabetes mellitus still has not been conquered. But 40 years ago, because seven forward-looking patients volunteered to be injected with tiny clusters of cells from donated pancreases, University of Minnesota scientists took a huge step toward taming diabetes.

The University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota Physicians (UMP), and Fairview Health Services in February launched a new brand, University of Minnesota Health, representing the closer integration of the three organizations and their shared commitment to delivering the best possible care to patients.

In December the University of Minnesota Board of Regents approved final agreements among the University, University of Minnesota Physicians (UMP), and Fairview Health Services (now operating together as University of Minnesota Health) for a new academic outpatient clinic.

A team of University of Minnesota cardiothoracic transplant experts in November performed the Midwest's first "breathing lung" transplant, an innovative surgical approach that uses technology capable of keeping donated lungs warm and breathing during transportation -- which also keeps them healthier before transplantation.

The University of Minnesota and Harvard University will partner on a multicenter clinical study evaluating a potential treatment for kidney disease in people who have type 1 diabetes. The study will be funded by a $24.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.